Doug Ghim has been playing some of the best golf of his career to end the 2026 season, but he had an unfortunate — and costly — finish at the 2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open.
Ghim was tied for second when he stepped on the tee at the par-4 18th, needing a par to secure that T-2 finish. Andrew Novak, who earned his second PGA Tour win, had a five-shot cushion on the final hole, so his place was secure, but there was plenty on the line for Ghim in terms of locking up starts in 2027 and what his paycheck would be.
His tee shot sailed left and into the rough, seemingly bailing from hitting a shot right into the water on the sharp dogleg right hole. Then his approach came up short and right of the green, burying in some lush rough.
He hacked at the ball for his third, but the lie made it a difficult shot, and the ball didn’t even get to the green. His fourth shot across the green and stopped 30 feet from the hole.
Two putts later, it was a double bogey on the card and a T-6 finish. The cost was massive.
With a par, Ghim would’ve made $454,000. Instead, his winnings were $198,750. He lost $255,250 on one hole.
Ghim has made more than $10 million in his career, so the costly double shouldn’t hurt his wallet too much, but it’ll leave a sour taste in his mouth. Regardless of the disappointing finish, Ghim is in the midst of seven straight top-20 finishes, which includes a runner-up at the Bank of Utah Championship last month. He has risen to 55th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, closing in on guaranteed starts at the first two signature events in 2027, which go to Nos. 51-60 in the final fall standings.
He’s still in search of his first PGA Tour win, but perhaps that can come by year’s end. He’s not in the field this week in Mexico, but the former Texas star is likely to tee it up in Austin next week at the Austin Championship. And if he does, expect him to continue his recent run of strong play.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour pro loses more than $250K with closing double bogey at Mexico Open
Reporting by Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek / Golfweek
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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